CD Reviews

Bought sight unheard

suzanne@mountainfreak.com | Telluride, CO | 08/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just saw her at the Telluride Jazz Celebration and Herb Wong introduced her as the next great jazz diva, likening her to Billie Holiday. I thought, "Hmmm," and tucked in for the ride. She was amazing. Incredibly expressive, great phrasing and nuance, she's got the goods. Very connected to women's energy. Her "Four Women" by Nina Simone is what is making me buy this CD right now. Don't miss her live. She's very appreciative of those who attend live music. She thanked us for being there but it was all of us in Telluride who should be thanking her."

Excellent CD, Nnenna has grown as an artist.

suzanne@mountainfreak.com | 01/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Nnenna perform selections from her CD at Yoshi's in San Fransico. She was excellent. All the tracks are by female artists and performs them with passion, especially Nina Simone's Four Women."

Candy & Caramel

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 12/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Nneena Freelon's "Maiden Voyage" turns 10 next year. It's a bouncy jazz confection. The opening track "Come Into My Life" was penned by Nona Hendryx for Labelle's 1976 Epic set Chameleon. A lovely jazz arrangement transforms the song. Nina Simone's "Four Women" is a bit more experimental with Michael Abene's piano bouncing throughout the arrangement. Herbie Hancock's track is the title tune from this set with a free form jazz style and Nneena's great voice milking the lyric, "Soon you'll cry lovely things." I acquired this CD because I was interested in how Nneena would treat Laura Nyro's "Buy & Sell" from Laura's The First Songs. Herbie Hancock does honors on piano with Avishai Cohen's bass throbbing periodically as Neena's vocals seem to be loosed in a memory, "Cocaine and quiet beers, Sweet candy and caramel, Pass the time and dry the tears on a street called buy and sell." For those familiar with folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Until It's Time for You to Go," Nneena's version sounds like it dropped into a Henry Mancini soundtrack like "Peter Gun." Sippie Wallace's "Women Be Wise" is given a jazz-blues hybrid, "Don't advertise your man." Nneena's reading of Oscar Hammerstein II's "I Won't Dance" has Sammy Figueroa's scintillating percussion, making this an exciting track. "Maiden Voyage" reads well nearly a decade after its original release. Enjoy!"

Great moder day Jazz singer

dnoyeB | 05/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not too many singers are like this today. This album features her at her best. Singing loose and freely. its one I play from first track to last. The jazz is excellent and the vocals are too."